Verdant

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈvɜɹ.dənt/

Definitions

1. Lush, green, and flourishing with vegetation or plant life
2. Characterized by abundant green vegetation, like thriving fields or forests
3. Richly covered with fresh, green foliage indicating healthy plant growth

Etymology: "Verdant" arrived in English from Middle French "verdoyant," a form that grew out of the Old French verb "verdier" or "verdoier," meaning to become green. Those verbs were built on "vert," the French word for green, which descends from Vulgar Latin "*virdis" and ultimately from the Latin "viridis." The same Latin root gives English "verdure," "verdigris," and "viridian," so these words share a single source for their colour. The Latin "viridis" is what makes the connection to green plainly visible. The English word keeps the sense of growing, living green rather than merely a colour, which is why it suits lush landscapes better than painted surfaces. A verdant hillside is one that is thriving with foliage.

Synonyms: lush, green, flourishing

Antonyms: barren, withered, dry